Andrew Davison convicted in 2022 Lorain drug case, gets 8-to-12 years prison

ELYRIA — Andrew Davison listened calmly Friday as a jury found him guilty of five felony drug charges in Lorain County Common Pleas Court and he was ordered to spend the next eight-to-12 years in prison. A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for less than three hours Friday morning before reaching a verdict: Guilty of three counts of trafficking in cocaine and two counts of possession of cocaine. Visiting Judge William McGinty immediately pronounced sentence, an indefinite sentence. He dismissed a possession of criminal tools charge, a felony, prior to deliberations. Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Daniellela Leigh asked for sentences "toward the maximum." Davison showed no remorse, has an extensive criminal history and is likely to commit more crimes, she said. Davison, who acted as his own attorney, testified he was framed. He objected to all the evidence presented against him during the three-day trial, as well as legal rulings that went in his favor. Davison said he "had no choice" but to act as his own attorney so he could see all the evidence against him. Attorney James Ingalls served as appointed "stand-by" counsel. Davison, who will only serve the maximum if he misbehaves in prison, said he plans to appeal his conviction. "I walk by faith and the most high," he told a Chronicle-Telegram reporter prior to being sentenced. Testimony Lorain police detectives testified that a confidential informant bought crack cocaine from Davison twice in October 2022. None of the witnesses Davison said he subpoenaed to testify for him showed up. He said he wasn't sure if they had been served on time, and Davison ended up being the only defense witness. McGinty had Davison ask himself questions out loud, then answer them rather than just tell the jury his side of the story. Davison testified he owns a towing and tire service, sells cable TV packages and re-sells goods he buys from a warehouse in Columbus. He denied he sold drugs. Davison testified the confidential informant had previously borrowed $1,000 and was just paying him back. Davison alleged that police and prosecutors "generated" some of the evidence against him using artificial intelligence, or AI. "Clearly I got too close to the wrong person," Davison testified Thursday. "I believe I was framed." Several times Davison asked prosecution witnesses open-ended questions where the answers harmed his case. McGinty tried to help him out. "Don't go asking questions 'Why?' because they're going to load up and hurt you every time you do that," McGinty told Davison outside the presence of the jury. "They're not going to hurt me," Davison replied. "Sir, if you don't think that question, that answer didn't hurt you you're sadly mistaken and you oughta be quiet and get stand-by counsel to take over because you're burying yourself right now, you hear me?" McGinty said. "I am not burying myself," Davison replied. Davison is serving a 10-to-15-year sentence for attempted murder. He was convicted in June of slashing a victim in the face with a knife in Elyria last year. Leigh said the motive in that case was revenge: Davison thought that victim had "snitched" on him to federal authorities, she said. Being convicted and sentenced in that case "doesn't mean I did it," Davison testified Thursday. Security concerns Davison's calm demeanor Friday was in contrast to how he took the news from Judge Christopher Rothgery in June that he was going to prison for a decade for trying to kill the alleged snitch. Davison is appealing that conviction. He fought June 12 with courtroom deputies and an Elyria police detective and had to be Tasered. Deputy Jeff Smith, Detective Sgt. Mike Walker and Davison all were treated for injuries, and Davison is facing felony assault charges. For the drug trafficking trial, Davison was fitted with a device that could be triggered to non-fatally shock him with 50,000 volts of electricity if he acted out or got violent. Jurors and witnesses in the gallery couldn't see the devices. Four Lorain County Sheriff's deputies and an armed Lorain police detective were in the courtroom for sentencing. Davison's criminal record includes felony convictions in 2001 for aggravated assault, intimidation and possession of cocaine, a 2005 conviction for assault on a corrections officer, and a 2010 state conviction and a 2016 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Prosecutor's Office. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com